US-led coalition hits mosque in Syria used by Islamic State

In this Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019 image from video provided by Hawar News Agency, ANHA, an online Kurdish news service, civilians flee fighting near Baghouz, Syria. Fierce fighting was underway Monday between U.S.-backed Syrian forces and the Islamic State group around the extremists' last foothold in eastern Syria. The capture of the IS-held village of Baghouz and nearby areas would mark the end of a four-year global war to end IS' territorial hold over large parts of Syria and Iraq, where the group established its self-proclaimed "caliphate" in 2014. (ANHA via AP)

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BEIRUT – The U.S.-led coalition says it has hit a mosque used by the Islamic State group as a command and control center in eastern Syria.

The coalition said Tuesday it launched the strike in support of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who are fighting to drive the extremists from their last tiny stronghold near the border with Iraq.

It said the strike occurred Monday as IS was using the mosque to direct attacks and employ suicide car bombs against the SDF.

The coalition's deputy commander, Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika, was quoted in the statement as saying "this mosque lost its protected status when ISIS deliberately chose to use it as a command and control center."

The SDF on Saturday launched its final push to clear the area after months of fighting.